Tag Archives: travel

Wouldn't it be nice if U.S. border agents did an equally amazing job catching terrorists, drug smugglers, and those criminal elements hell-bent on illegally infiltrating our nation's porous borders?

Just when you thought catching terrorists, drug smugglers and illegal alien invaders were among the top priorities of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, there comes news from the Canadian border that agents have also been tasked with confiscating kids’ contraband candy.

Linda Bird, a Canadian woman who recently attempted enter the U.S., was stunned when CBP agents seized a $2 chocolate egg that has been deemed a “choking hazard” by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The confection marketed towards children is commonly know across the globe as a “Kinder Surprise,” and contains a small toy safely embedded inside a chocolate covered plastic shell.

Canadian health officials have repeatedly said they are not concerned about the potential for youngsters to choke on the tiny toys hidden inside the eggs because the plastic shells are difficult for children of any age to open, especially toddlers that simply do not have the manual dexterity required.

Across the border in the Nanny States of America, the FDA and CBP remain committed to ensuring that contraband candy eggs never infiltrate our nation’s northern border and needlessly put a single American child’s life at risk.

“The U.S. takes catching illegal Kinder candy seriously, judging by the number of them they’ve confiscated in the last year,” reports the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC). “Officials said they’ve seized more than 25,000 of the treats in 2,000 separate seizures.”

International confectioner, Ferrero, introduced the Kinder Surprise in 1974, and since then, more than 30 billion eggs have safely been devoured by children across the globe. In fact, Ferrero notes on its website that it has taken extra precautions to ensure that “Kinder Surprise toys are designed and developed with safety in mind, rigorously observing international regulations as well as extra safety criteria voluntarily adopted by the Ferrero Group.”

Despite a thriving global market for a seemingly innocent and safe confection that has yet to be threatened with extinction by a frivolous class action lawsuit in any nation, the Kinder Surprise remains on the CBP’s list of items that, if found being smuggled in to the U.S., could result in a $300 fine and legal headaches.

Accused Kinder Surprise ‘smuggler,’ Bird, said she recently received a “seven-page letter” from the U.S. government asking her to “formally authorize the destruction of her seized Kinder egg” or pay $250 for it to be put in storage while legal matters are pursued.

“I thought it was a joke,” Bird said. “I had to read it twice. But they are serious.”

Do you support CBP’s silent crackdown on contraband candy or prefer they stick to performing the agency’s “priority mission of keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S.?”

"The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, meant to prevent unwarranted search and seizure, is readable on TSA body scanners."

Airline passengers can now express their outrage to TSA “perverts” performing virtual strip searches without having to say a word, thanks to the creators of 4th Amendment Wear. Available in t-shirts, boxer shorts, bras, panties and socks, a special metallic ink illuminates during TSA body scans with a constitutional “challenge to their unwarranted searches.”

“The clothes are designed as a silent protest against the new reality of being searched to the point where we’re basically naked,” say 4th Amendment Wear founders Tim Geoghegan and Matthew Ryan. “We don’t intend for this to be anything more than a thought-provoking way to fuel the debate about safety vs. civil liberties.”

There are two different messages available for display on undergarments: One that simply states “Amendment IV” in its entirety and another that reminds TSA officials behind the scanners, “Read the 4th Amendment, perverts.”

“[T]hese clothes are meant to provoke debate rather than be read as a message aimed at specific employees who are just doing their jobs,” say Geoghegan and Ryan. “Hopefully, these clothes ask us all to re-examine how much we’re willing to go through for the sake of security.”

Here’s a refresher on the 4th Amendment in case your mind is a bit fuzzy:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Have the ACLU's once-rabid pitbulls been muzzled by the White House? Sound-off in the comment section below.

RightWingNews.com’s William Teach reveals that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has turned a deaf ear to nearly 1,000 complaints from citizens who say they’ve been violated by the Transportation Security Adminstration’s (TSA) new “enhanced” screening procedures:

The [ACLU press release] lists several stories of gropings, and you can read more stories here. Yet, for all that, the ACLU is mostly silent … Usually, one can count on the threat of a lawsuit, or even an actual lawsuit, from the ACLU. Or, they might be DEMANDING records and government information. Remember the so-called “domestic wiretapping” issue, which was anything but, and, of course, not actually intrusive? They went ballistic. Here? It’s all “just send us your groping stories.” Maybe the ACLU plans to submit them to Penthouse letters or something.

Agree or disagree with Teach’s opinion about “domestic wiretapping” not being intrusive, his point about the ACLU not going “ballistic” over the countless incidences of borderline sexual assault at the hands of creepy TSA agents boggles the mind. And, it sure makes you wonder if Barack’s got the ACLU’s tongue these days.

Contact the ACLU and let them know you’re concerned about why they’ve chosen to let these most egregious cases of civil liberties violations go unchallenged, leaving citizens victimized and violated from coast-to-coast:

We’ve all heard about the TSA checkpoint horror stories that have made headlines in recent days and weeks. Well, here’s a nightmare scenario that could be “coming soon to an airport near you,” warns Reason.TV.

WARNING: “What follows is an excerpt from a training video for prison guards on how to make sure that inmates aren’t hiding contraband,” explains Reason.TV producers Ted Balaker and Nick Gillespie.

“The video makes for extremely uncomfortable watching and viewer discretion—and outrage—is advised. After all, this may well be the next step in how the TSA, one of the least effective and efficient government agencies of all time, goes about its daily business.”

No more cruises, but you can still fly a jumbo jet to Antarctica! Go figure.

If you’ve ever considered taking a cruise to Antarctica, now is the time to do it. Beginning Aug. 1, 2011, large cruise ships will be banned from Antarctic waters because the “heavy” fuel they carry poses risks to penguins, seals, polar bears, whales, glaciers, icebergs and the chilly seas.

The Miami Herald reports that Princess Cruises, Oceania and Regent will be making their final voyages to the region in 2010 while Holland America plans to modify its fuel to something more environmentally-friendly, should their ships sink. Celebrity Cruises says it will switch its fuel, as well, but only if legally required.

“The reasoning is that a spillage of this type of fuel is considered too much of a risk—and accidents do happen, as we witnessed in 2007, when Gap Adventures’ M/S Explorer was holed by ice and sank,” explains the South Atlantic News Agency.

Interestingly, a 2007 post-accident report from the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) explained that the M/S Explorer sinking posed “no adverse affects on the environment.”

Here we go again with another draconian ban that stops business dead in its tracks. Countless human beings have been killed in transportation accidents over the past century, yet not once have we seen a ban on airplanes, automobiles, motorcycles, boats or bicycles. Now, when an oil rig or cruise ship sinks, all business is drawn to a grinding halt as to never endanger wildlife ever again.

Chime-in below with your explanation for why and how enviro-statists are able to get away with this.

Just another "educational" experience courtesy of a "non-profit" organization catering to cougars and their younger prey.

An “educational non-profit organization” that caters to the ‘cougar’ lifestyle claims it had to cancel an upcoming singles getaway because a major U.S. cruise line allegedly discriminates against older women who prey on younger men. Keep reading, because it gets even more bizarre.

The Society of Single Professionals complains that, despite the “tremendous success of the world’s first International Cougar Cruise” aboard Carnival Cruise Lines in December 2009, the ‘Fun Ship’ will not allow itself to become the ‘Love Boat’ again in 2010 or beyond. Rich Gosse, chairman of the organization, elaborates:

While it is perfectly acceptable for middle-aged men to date women their daughter’s age, women don’t have the same privilege. After the tremendous success of the world’s first International Cougar Cruise, December 2009, aboard Carnival, we were shocked that they refused to allow another. If there had been problems on the first Cougar Cruise we would understand being banned. But hundreds of our cougars and cubs onboard were well-behaved, and there were absolutely no problems. We expect the same will be true with the European Cougar Cruise.

Cougars awaiting their prey.

Stepping-up to the plate and welcoming hundreds of sex-crazed cougars and their so-called ‘cubs’ aboard is Royal Caribbean International. The “Liberty of the Seas” ship will depart from Barcelona, Spain, and help the intergenerational couples make love connections or whatever ‘floats their boats’ across Europe from April 16-21 in 2011.

An “educational non-profit organization?” How the heck did they pull that off with the IRS and State of California?

It sure is amazing how a glorified sex tour operator that also proclaims itself to be “an alternative to the bar scene” is proudly advertising its “nonprofit” tax status. The NSLF searched Guidestar.org’s “broad and deep” database of non-profit organizations to verify the organization’s “non-profit” status and could not locate any results to support the claim:

Society of Single Professionals is a division of American Singles Education, Inc., incorporated in the State of California in 1978 as an educational non-profit organization. We are the world’s largest non-profit singles organization, sponsoring thousands of educational and social events for singles worldwide, on six continents.

If you’re wondering what passes for an “educational” experience worthy of tax-exempt status, perhaps the itinerary for the April 2011 cruise will give you a good idea (or not):

Our days at sea will have an array of activities offered by the cruise ship and by our social host along to bring the group together. So you’ll have non-stop activities or you can just sit back and socialize with a cool drink, relax in one of the many pools or jacuzzis or enjoy a tantalizing host of other on board services. Workout in the fitness center and pamper yourself in the spa!Watch the sun set over the sea as you stroll the decks of our floating resort and then enjoy incredible gourmet meals, lavish nightlyshows and the chance to dance the night away with great new friends.

According to the State of California’s requirements for organizations seeking to incorporate as “domestic non-profit corporations,” the petitioner must prove it provides a “public benefit,” “mutual benefit” or “religious” purpose. “Unless otherwise required by law, any deviation from the required purpose statement can be cause for rejection,” the Calif. Secretary of State’s “Corporate Filing Tips” webpage states.

We’re not tax attorneys, but we do know that this cougar-centric organization serves no religious purpose. Here’s how the Secretary of State defines “public benefit” and “mutual benefit” requirements:

Public Benefit – This corporation is a nonprofit public benefit corporation and is not organized for the private gain of any person. It is organized under the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law for (public or charitable [insert one or both]) purposes.

Mutual Benefit – This corporation is a nonprofit mutual benefit corporation organized under the Nonprofit Mutual Benefit Corporation Law. The purpose of this corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity, other than credit union business, for which a corporation may be organized under such law.

Something sounds fishy about American Singles Education, Inc.’s so-called “non-profit” status qualifications. Despite widespread media coverage of this organization and its sexually-charged activities, not a single journalist has ever raised the issue of how this organization can claim itself to be an “educational non-profit organization” meriting tax exempt status.